The Project Manager keeps the budget and schedule up to date and is responsible for the final deliverable or solution. The Information Architect is responsible for the overall business and technical goals of the project. In addition, the IA usually writes all of the project specifications and works with the Developer to provide proof of concept, and with Creative Services to ensure solid user interface design. The Developers are the people who actually build what the IA designs, and integrates the final system into the overall company infrastructure.
As you can see, at the center of this staffing matrix is the IA due to his or her involvement on a business, technical, and content level. In many cases the IA owns the overall solution in a content management project, which is why, from the very beginning, the IA works closely with the client to fully understand and document the business needs driving the project. A good IA has a unique mix of skills, experience, and personal qualities needed to drive a project to success. That mix includes:
- Strong listening skills
- Understanding of business processes within typical organizations
- Familiarity with the functional areas of a corporate environment (Finance, HR, Operations, etc.), so that he or she may understand the workflow process
- Marketing savvy
- A user-centered orientation
From a technical perspective, it is not necessary for IAs to be programmers or have the skills of an IT professional, though they do need to be able to speak to the technologies related to content management. They have to be able to understand and diagram system processes and interactions between systems. Their technical skills and abilities should cover:
- Knowledge of platforms and their capabilities and limitations (UNIX, NT, etc.)
- Familiarity with the range of commercial content management system packages
- Familiarity with XML and the programming possibilities related to it
- Familiarity with various types of enterprise systems and integration methods
Lastly, during a content management project an IA must gain an intimate understanding of the content that is to be managed by the system. He or she must understand the processes involved in creating, maintaining, and publishing that content. It is helpful for an IA to have a background in publishing, writing, editing, media development, or a related field. Important content skills include:
- Strong organization skills and the ability to process large amounts of detailed information
- Strong analytical skills and the ability to recognize natural relationships between entities
- Knowledge of editorial and publishing processes
- Solid writing, editing, and presentation skills
With such a divergent skill set, it's obvious that recruiting and retaining IA's is not easy, especially in an evolving industry that's constantly moving into new territories with few formal training processes available. If the focus of your business is content management, you may be able to rely on attracting individuals with a strong desire to contribute to this area. Consider also, partnerships with organizations such as local universities and community colleges that can help provide access to faculty and top students. But as most human resources managers will tell you, creating a supportive environment of opportunity, respect, and fun is the key element in increasing staff recruitment and retention in any organization.
If you choose to outsource your content management project, be sure that you have a dedicated team throughout the entire process. It is imperative that the team brings experience working with a diverse group of clients and understands the project demands. With a clear understanding of the objectives from the beginning, the team has a greater chance of being successful at creating an effective solution.
Before you start any content management project, whether in-house or outsourced, to be sure you know what you want from the system. Once you understand the goals and objectives of the project it is important that you find an owner or leader who can manage the project internally. This person should have the right combination of skills and a broad understanding of the system. A person limited to programming, or editing skills will not be able to drive the entire project to a successful outcome. Instead look for a person with a broad range of experience who understands business, technology, and content, and who can build and lead the right team of skilled individuals to a successful conclusion. You will find that this individual is often an Information Architect